Strategies to improve the reproductive efficiency of goats in Brazil

The dispersion of technologies, as well as from the production chain, and the lack of qualified human resources at all levels of the goat rearing, seems to be the biggest problem with which we face. Since the efficiency of a herd can be assessed by the number of pups weaned per female per year, some guidelines should be sought so that there is promotion of production indices, such as raising the fertility rate, high rate of prolificacy; reduction mortality rate of kids, reducing the calving interval. Since the females of tropical breeds have reproductive activity throughout the year, and that males produce an extraordinary amount of sperm throughout the year, it can be recommended the use of biotechnologies such as artificial insemination which aim to maximize reproductive efficiency. Obviously, success in using these tools for genetic improvement depends on the general management, in particular the health and nutritional status of the herd. In this article, the following topics are covered: the process of cooling and freezing semen, some semen extenders, the powder coconut water as an alternative semen extender, some information about artificial insemination, the artificial insemination technique. In addition, we present the results of the use of extender based on coconut water in goats.